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NDTV
14 hours ago
- Entertainment
- NDTV
NDTV Exclusive: Pop Icon Usha Uthup Backs Song Remakes, Says "What's Wrong With Them?"
New Delhi: Usha Uthup is no ordinary pop icon. She was one of the reigning music sensations in the 1970s and 80s and thrived in the likes of legends like RD Burman and Bappi Lahiri. Like her statement bindi and gajra, her songs such as Hare Rama Hare Krishna, Ramba Ho Ho Ho, and Shaan Se, too never went out of vogue. Usha Uthup takes us back to her heyday, when she began her musical journey as a nightclub singer in Chennai in 1969. That she was different from the rest was something she was constantly reminded of from the very beginning -- her deep contralto voice was unique. She recalls being asked to leave her music class in school because of that very voice that still makes people stand up and dance to One Two Cha Cha Cha. Birthday wishes to USHA UTHUP Born in Bombay, the inimitable Pop/Jazz Singer has recorded in 13 Indian & 8 foreign languages. #HariOmHari 🎶 — Film History Pics (@FilmHistoryPic) November 7, 2020 From being the odd one out in childhood to becoming one of the highest-paid nightclub singers in the early '70s, the singer landed one gig after the other. Soon, she was singing at several uptown places in Calcutta (now Kolkata). From the City of Joy, she headed to Mumbai, the City of Dreams, and then found herself in Delhi where the stars aligned as she performed at the Oberoi Hotel. Superstar Dev Anand spotted her and thus began her journey at the movies. Was it daunting? "Oh, it wasn't that dramatic, the 'big bad world of Bollywood'," exclaims the 77-year-old, who has sung the fiery song Kali Shakti in Kajol's Maa, which hit the screens today. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Kajol Devgan (@kajol) In an exclusive conversation with NDTV, she gets nostalgic as she talks about her journey, what she thinks of the new-gen music talents, and why she thinks it's cool to have song remakes. And So Came Dev Anand... Usha Uthup has a childlike enthusiasm sparkle in her eyes when she expresses how thrilled she was to have been approached by Dev Anand in 1971. The evergreen actor discovered her at Delhi's Oberoi Hotel during one of her performances and showed immense faith in her craft. Today, the song Hare Rama Hare Krishna is one of her biggest hits. It laid the foundation for her journey in the world of Hindi cinema. The rest, as they say, is history. She says, "I just never thought that it would happen to me because my voice was so different. I was singing in nightclubs and doing performances, live shows and stage shows. So I never thought that anything like that would have ever happened to me. They all used to come to listen to me. I never had to, by the grace of God, go to them and ask for any kind of favours." She adds, "It was just sharing lovely music. And when Dev Anand came up to me after my show in Delhi, and told me, 'Usha, I love your voice and I want you to be a part of my project Hare Rama Hare Krishna ', I was bowled over. It never struck me that I was entering the big world of films. I was just happy to say yes." Ain't No Disco Without Bappi Da "He was the King of Disco, and there's no one like him," Usha Uthup says as she fondly remembers her late friend and collaborator who played an instrumental role in her career. Together, Usha Uthup and Bappi Lahiri were unstoppable. Songs such as Koi Yahan Nache Nache and Ramba Ho Ho Ho still keep the 1980s disco era alive. The singer fondly remembers Bappi Lahiri, "Bappi Da was fantastic. The base notes that he would take or get his musicians to play were so fresh. The kind of Boney M or ABBA treatment that he gave to his songs was really amazing and he truly was a pioneer. These are milestones of my life that I can never be more thankful for." Music, Rain, And RD Burman... Oh to be alive at a time when RD Burman's compositions could be heard in every household, what must it have been for Usha Uthup. The music icon shares a particular moment spent with the avant-garde music composer, who was a frequent visitor at her father's house. ' .. jo bhi kiya , humne kiya , shaan se .. ' (1980) Usha Uthup sings for RD Burman in 'Shaan'. — Film History Pics (@FilmHistoryPic) November 7, 2018 She shares, "RD Burman and I shared a wonderful relationship. He used to come to my father's place very often. One time, it was raining heavily. We sat on the steps of our house and I told him this beautiful Charlie Chaplin quote, 'I love getting wet in the rain because people can't see my tears.' And he told me I should put that in a song. And I just did a song on that. I am also such a diehard romantic, I could dedicate it to my husband who I lost recently." 7 Khoon Maaf For The ' Darling ' Usha Uthup never envisioned her hit number Darling from the Priyanka Chopra-led 7 Khoon Maaf (2011) to become as big as it did. She adds her concerts are incomplete without the song because the audience always wants to hear it live. Interestingly, the singer also had a short stint in the Vishal Bhardwaj film where she played Priyanka Chopra's loyal helper Maggie. A still from the film Walking down the memory lane, she recalls how she ended up acting in the film. She says, "I went to Vishal Bhardwaj's office and the producers were there. When they asked me if I wanted to take up the role, I said I would be happy to. What a learning experience it was. To be working with Naseeruddin Shah, Annu Kapoor, Irrfan Khan, and Priyanka Chopra, who is so professional. How I enjoyed every moment." The singer adds, "I never expected it would become that big, but I knew it would be big because, see, the Russian song already for me was tested on stage. So, I used to keep telling Vishal, 'Just give me one song in this, I beg of you.' And then he said there's no situation where we can link it. Then I got really lucky because there was a Russian husband in 7 Khoon Maaf!" She continues, "When my character was about to kill the Russian husband before that, during the shooting and the script reading, I mentioned, 'There's one lovely chance for me to sing in Russian. Let's make it. And then, of course, Gulzar ji wrote the lyrics in Hindi. Never imagined that I would get an opportunity like that. So it's been wonderful." Her One Advice To New Gen Singers: "No Shortcut To Success" Usha Uthup shares how she wishes that today's new crop of singers, who are such thorough professionals, could also experience the camaraderie between artistes of the era gone by. She says, "I wish they could experience how we all used to stand together. The musicians, music directors, singers, and chorus girls were one big team. If anybody made one mistake, then the whole thing had to be redone. There were no tracks and there was no redoing, you redid the whole song if you made a mistake. I, for one, because I never learned music so I couldn't write down the notation, but I would say that I learnt the hard way that there is no shortcut to success." She adds, "I'm not saying that the new singers or new musicians don't work hard. I think they're fantastic. I wish that they could have experienced the other thing." "You Call It Remake, I Call It Retro" Usha Uthup is onboard when it comes to the remakes bandwagon. She simply doesn't understand the hue and cry about it. The singer says, "So what? Every Symphony Orchestra is playing Beethoven, Mozart and Bach. Beethoven probably wrote 300 pieces or more, whatever he wrote, people are still playing his pieces. What difference does it make? People still want to hear it. What's wrong with that? There's nothing wrong. I think retro is where it's at. We want to call it retro. We want to call it remakes. But I just call it a song. A song is a song is a song." Instagram/Usha Uthup And with that, she says her goodbyes as she hurries off to prepare for another live performance. Her famous greeting in her booming voice " Namaskar, Namaskaram, Sat Sri Akaal, Salaam Walekum" echoes even after she turns off her camera.
Time of India
16-06-2025
- Time of India
Man dies after SUV ploughs into e-rick near Cyber Park
Gurgaon: A 45-year-old man died after a Hyundai Creta rammed into an e-rickshaw near Shankar Chowk on Monday morning. Four others, including the e-rickshaw driver, suffered grievous injuries in the crash that occurred opposite Oberoi Hotel in the upscale Cyber Park area. The accident, which marks the 11th death near Shankar Chowk since 2023, left police struggling to identify the deceased as no identification was found on him. The man, police said, suffered fatal head injuries after being hurled in the air and landing a few metres ahead on the road. Balraj, the SHO of Udyog Vihar police station, said, "The impact of the collision caused all occupants to fall from the e-rickshaw after being hit from behind at high speed. The SUV was mangled on the left side, but the driver escaped unhurt. But those travelling in the e-rickshaw suffered injuries and are admitted to multiple hospitals. One of them, a middle-aged man, succumbed to injuries, but we are yet to identify him as he did not carry any ID proof. " The e-rickshaw passengers were headed for work when the accident occurred. Its driver, Sunil Kumar Mehto (33) from Samastipur in Bihar, suffered multiple fractures and is undergoing treatment at a hospital in Sector 12. Another passenger, Ranjit, was injured in the legs and arms. The car was being driven by Ayush (29), a BPO staffer from Jammu and Kashmir who stays in a rented accommodation in Sector 48. He was arrested. Santosh Kumar, a relative of Mehto, said the Creta driver dragged the e-rickshaw for a few metres as he attempted to flee, compounding the impact of the accident. "When he hit the rickshaw, he panicked. The damaged front portion of the car got stuck into the e-rickshaw's grille. So, when the accused attempted to escape by driving away, it caused everyone to fall onto the road. He was captured by passersby," the SHO said. After the police control room was informed, an emergency response vehicle reached the accident spot along with a team from Udyog Vihar police station. They took the accused into custody and seized his vehicle. Ayush was taken to the civil hospital for a medical evaluation to determine if he was intoxicated. The reports are awaited. An FIR was registered against him at Udyog Vihar police station under BNS sections accounting for rash driving, endangering human life or personal safety, and causing death due to negligence. This is the fourth death near Shankar Chowk this year, following earlier fatalities of two pedestrians and a motorcyclist in accidents. Last year, the area witnessed nine crashes resulting in four deaths, including two bikers, and drivers of a car and a truck. In 2023, three pedestrians were run over by rashly driven vehicles near the key junction.
Time of India
16-06-2025
- Time of India
Man dies after SUV ploughs into e-rick near Cyber Park in Gurgaon
Gurgaon: A 45-year-old man died after a Hyundai Creta rammed into an e-rickshaw near Shankar Chowk on Monday morning. Four others, including the e-rickshaw driver, suffered grievous injuries in the crash that occurred opposite Oberoi Hotel in the upscale Cyber Park area. The accident, which marks the 11th death near Shankar Chowk since 2023, left police struggling to identify the deceased as no identification was found on him. The man, police said, suffered fatal head injuries after being hurled in the air and landing a few metres ahead on the road. Balraj, the SHO of Udyog Vihar police station, said, "The impact of the collision caused all occupants to fall from the e-rickshaw after being hit from behind at high speed. The SUV was mangled on the left side, but the driver escaped unhurt. But those travelling in the e-rickshaw suffered injuries and are admitted to multiple hospitals. One of them, a middle-aged man, succumbed to injuries, but we are yet to identify him as he did not carry any ID proof. " The e-rickshaw passengers were headed for work when the accident occurred. Its driver, Sunil Kumar Mehto (33) from Samastipur in Bihar, suffered multiple fractures and is undergoing treatment at a hospital in Sector 12. Another passenger, Ranjit, was injured in the legs and arms. The car was being driven by Ayush (29), a BPO staffer from Jammu and Kashmir who stays in a rented accommodation in Sector 48. He was arrested. Santosh Kumar, a relative of Mehto, said the Creta driver dragged the e-rickshaw for a few metres as he attempted to flee, compounding the impact of the accident. "When he hit the rickshaw, he panicked. The damaged front portion of the car got stuck into the e-rickshaw's grille. So, when the accused attempted to escape by driving away, it caused everyone to fall onto the road. He was captured by passersby," the SHO said. After the police control room was informed, an emergency response vehicle reached the accident spot along with a team from Udyog Vihar police station. They took the accused into custody and seized his vehicle. Ayush was taken to the civil hospital for a medical evaluation to determine if he was intoxicated. The reports are awaited. An FIR was registered against him at Udyog Vihar police station under BNS sections accounting for rash driving, endangering human life or personal safety, and causing death due to negligence. This is the fourth death near Shankar Chowk this year, following earlier fatalities of two pedestrians and a motorcyclist in accidents. Last year, the area witnessed nine crashes resulting in four deaths, including two bikers, and drivers of a car and a truck. In 2023, three pedestrians were run over by rashly driven vehicles near the key junction.
Yahoo
15-02-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
EIH Ltd (BOM:500840) Q3 2025 Earnings Call Highlights: Strong RevPAR and Expansion Plans Amidst ...
RevPAR Growth: 17% growth for owned and managed hotels; 22% growth in Oberoi Hotel segment. Occupancy Rates: Maintained at 79% to 80%. ARR Growth: 9% to 11% increase, driving RevPAR growth. Revenue Growth: Stand-alone revenue increased by 6%; adjusted for renovation impact, growth was 11%. EBITDA Growth: Increased by 7% on a stand-alone basis. PAT Growth: 18% increase on a stand-alone basis; 21% increase on a consolidated basis. Cash Flow: Strong cash flow supporting expansion plans. Expansion Plans: 19 properties in the pipeline, including 13 Oberoi and 3 Trident hotels. International RevPAR Growth: 20% increase, recovering from previous impacts. Warning! GuruFocus has detected 7 Warning Signs with BOM:500199. Release Date: February 14, 2025 For the complete transcript of the earnings call, please refer to the full earnings call transcript. EIH Ltd (BOM:500840) reported a strong RevPAR growth of 14% to 16% compared to the previous year, indicating robust performance in the hospitality sector. The company has maintained a high occupancy rate of 79% to 80%, driven by a healthy increase in Average Room Rates (ARR). EIH Ltd's international hotels have shown a 20% growth in RevPAR, recovering from previous disruptions such as the Israel conflict. The company has a strong cash flow position, supporting its expansion plans, including 19 properties in the pipeline. EIH Ltd's flight services segment has shown significant growth in both top-line and EBITDA, reflecting strong performance in this area. The company experienced a revenue growth of only 6% on a stand-alone basis, partly due to the closure of a hotel in Calcutta for renovation. There was a discrepancy between the reported 17% RevPAR growth and the 8% absolute revenue growth, raising questions about the reconciliation of these figures. EIH Ltd faced challenges with the cancellation of a hotel project in Pune, indicating potential hurdles in expansion plans. The company has not provided a clear revenue guidance for the next 3 to 5 years, leaving investors uncertain about future financial performance. Concerns were raised about the impact of stock market fluctuations on the luxury hotel market, although EIH Ltd has not conducted a formal analysis on this correlation. Q: How has the trend in ADR been in January and February of this quarter, and can similar growth be expected in the future? A: Vikram Oberoi, CEO, stated that they continue to drive ADR and are confident in maintaining this trend. He believes there is considerable opportunity to enhance ADRs substantially, given the high occupancy rates and the quality of hotels relative to global standards. Q: Why was the Pune project canceled, and is there a conservative approach to owning hotels? A: Vikram Oberoi, CEO, mentioned that they are disappointed the Pune project did not happen but are keen to explore other opportunities. He emphasized that growth is a top priority, whether through JVs, management opportunities, or owned properties. Q: What is the proportion of properties owned by EIH, and what is the market value of the land? A: Vikram Oberoi, CEO, noted that they haven't done a valuation on the land side and did not provide specific figures. He mentioned that the hotels are owned by EIH on a 99-year lease. Q: Can you explain the difference between RevPAR growth and absolute revenue growth? A: Vikram Oberoi, CEO, explained that the Grand Hotel's closure for renovation impacted the numbers. Excluding the Grand, revenue growth is 11% and EBITDA growth is 14%. Other factors include food and beverage revenue and asset discards due to renovations. Q: How does the stock market's performance impact your business? A: Vikram Oberoi, CEO, stated that they have not analyzed the correlation between stock market movements and their business. However, strong RevPAR growth and high occupancy levels suggest that recent stock market declines have not impacted them. For the complete transcript of the earnings call, please refer to the full earnings call transcript. This article first appeared on GuruFocus. Sign in to access your portfolio
